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== Republic of Turkey ==
== Republic of Turkey ==
When many Turks began embracing [[Turkish nationalism]] towards the [[Turkish War of Independence]], many Kurds felt betrayed and thus became disenchanted from both Turks and their plans.<ref>Martin van Bruinessen, Religion in Kurdistan" http://www.hum.uu.nl/medewerkers/m.vanbruinessen/publications/Bruinessen_Religion_in_Kurdistan.pdf {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131109073537/http://www.hum.uu.nl/medewerkers/m.vanbruinessen/publications/Bruinessen_Religion_in_Kurdistan.pdf|date=2013-11-09}}</ref> This paved the way for the [[Kurdish–Turkish conflict]] beginning in 1922.<ref name="uca.edu2">{{cite web |title=16. Turkey/Kurds (1922–present) |url=http://uca.edu/politicalscience/dadm-project/middle-eastnorth-africapersian-gulf-region/turkeykurds-1922-present/ |access-date=27 August 2018 |website=uca.edu}}</ref> Following the formation of the Republic in 1923, Kurds were not acknowledged as a people, and the existence of their language was denied as well.<ref>{{Cite web |date=2019-08-13 |title=Nurullah Alkaç {{!}} Osmanlı kaynaklarında kadim Kürtler |url=https://www.indyturk.com/node/61086/t%C3%BCrkiyeden-sesler/osmanl%C4%B1-kaynaklar%C4%B1nda-kadim-k%C3%BCrtler |access-date=2024-04-16 |website=Independent Türkçe |language=tr}}</ref> The [[Kurdistan Workers' Party|PKK]] was founded as a reaction to the increasing [[Idealism (Turkey)|Idealism]] in Turkey, which was more extreme than [[Kemalism]] in hating Kurds.
When many Turks began embracing [[Turkish nationalism]] towards the [[Turkish War of Independence]], many Kurds felt betrayed and thus became disenchanted from both Turks and their plans.<ref>Martin van Bruinessen, Religion in Kurdistan" http://www.hum.uu.nl/medewerkers/m.vanbruinessen/publications/Bruinessen_Religion_in_Kurdistan.pdf {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20131109073537/http://www.hum.uu.nl/medewerkers/m.vanbruinessen/publications/Bruinessen_Religion_in_Kurdistan.pdf|date=2013-11-09}}</ref> This paved the way for the [[Kurdish–Turkish conflict]] beginning in 1922.<ref name="uca.edu2">{{cite web |title=16. Turkey/Kurds (1922–present) |url=http://uca.edu/politicalscience/dadm-project/middle-eastnorth-africapersian-gulf-region/turkeykurds-1922-present/ |access-date=27 August 2018 |website=uca.edu}}</ref> Following the formation of the Republic in 1923, Kurds were not acknowledged as a people, and the existence of their language was denied as well.<ref>{{Cite web |date=2019-08-13 |title=Nurullah Alkaç {{!}} Osmanlı kaynaklarında kadim Kürtler |url=https://www.indyturk.com/node/61086/t%C3%BCrkiyeden-sesler/osmanl%C4%B1-kaynaklar%C4%B1nda-kadim-k%C3%BCrtler |access-date=2024-04-16 |website=Independent Türkçe |language=tr}}</ref> The [[Kurdistan Workers' Party|PKK]] was founded during a time period when [[Anti-Kurdish sentiment|Anti-Kurdism]] was very widespread, and any indication of Kurdish identity was punishable by law.<ref name="Palgrave Macmillan">{{cite book |last1=Joseph |first1=J. |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=G06BDAAAQBAJ |title=Turkey and the European Union internal dynamics and external challenges |date=2006 |publisher=[[Palgrave Macmillan]] |isbn=0230598587 |location=Basingstoke [England] |page=100}}</ref>


Kurds refused to include Turkish nationalism in their Islamic teachings, causing many Turks who wanted to pursue an unaltered Islamic education to travel to Kurdistan to begin studies.<ref name="uu.nl">Van Bruinessen, M. (1991) "Religion in Kurdistan." ''Kurdish Times''. New York, vol.4, nos 1-2. pp.5-27.</ref> However, religious Turks later began [[Turkish–Islamic synthesis|mixing ultranationalism with Islam]], which increased following the [[Justice and Development Party (Turkey)|AKP]]-[[Nationalist Movement Party|MHP]] coalition, giving impressionable Kurdish youth the idea that Islam accepts Turkish fascism.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Irkçı saldırıya karşı Strasbourg’da protesto: Türk faşizmini durdurun! |url=https://firatnews.com/avrupa/irkci-saldiriya-karsi-strasbourg-da-protesto-turk-fasizmini-durdurun-196178 |access-date=2024-04-16 |website=ANF News |language=tr}}</ref> Islamist Turks and Kurds, once allies, turned against each other during the rule of [[Recep Tayyip Erdoğan]] due to Turks mixing Islam with nationalism, however, much of the Islamist Turks oppose Erdoğan and still advocate for Kurds, such as [[Sheikh Alparslan Kuytul|Alparslan Kuytul]].<ref>{{Cite web |date=2021-10-18 |title="Anadilde eğitim talebi mazur görülemez" tartışmasına ilahiyatçılar da katıldı: Osmanlı Kürt'ün diliyle uğraşmadı, bu Türkçü kafayla memleket büyüyemez |url=https://www.indyturk.com/node/425441/siyaset/anadilde-e%C4%9Fitim-talebi-mazur-g%C3%B6r%C3%BClemez-tart%C4%B1%C5%9Fmas%C4%B1na-ilahiyat%C3%A7%C4%B1lar-da-kat%C4%B1ld%C4%B1 |access-date=2024-04-03 |website=Independent Türkçe |language=tr}}</ref> Other Islamist Turks also claim that the term Kurdistan was always used to describe Kurdish lands, even by Turks themself, and was never separatist nor a taboo topic until Turkish nationalists turned it into one.<ref name=":0">{{Cite web |last=Dilbilen |first=Sezai |date=2015-05-21 |title=Başyücelik Devleti ve Kavmiyetçilik |url=https://akademyadergisi.com/basyucelik-devleti-ve-kavmiyetcilik/ |access-date=2024-04-13 |website=Akademya Dergisi |language=tr}}</ref>
Kurds refused to include Turkish nationalism in their Islamic teachings, causing many Turks who wanted to pursue an unaltered Islamic education to travel to Kurdistan to begin studies.<ref name="uu.nl">Van Bruinessen, M. (1991) "Religion in Kurdistan." ''Kurdish Times''. New York, vol.4, nos 1-2. pp.5-27.</ref> However, religious Turks later began [[Turkish–Islamic synthesis|mixing ultranationalism with Islam]], which increased following the [[Justice and Development Party (Turkey)|AKP]]-[[Nationalist Movement Party|MHP]] coalition, giving impressionable Kurdish youth the idea that Islam accepts Turkish fascism.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Irkçı saldırıya karşı Strasbourg’da protesto: Türk faşizmini durdurun! |url=https://firatnews.com/avrupa/irkci-saldiriya-karsi-strasbourg-da-protesto-turk-fasizmini-durdurun-196178 |access-date=2024-04-16 |website=ANF News |language=tr}}</ref> Islamist Turks and Kurds, once allies, turned against each other during the rule of [[Recep Tayyip Erdoğan]] due to Turks mixing Islam with nationalism, however, much of the Islamist Turks oppose Erdoğan and still advocate for Kurds, such as [[Sheikh Alparslan Kuytul|Alparslan Kuytul]].<ref>{{Cite web |date=2021-10-18 |title="Anadilde eğitim talebi mazur görülemez" tartışmasına ilahiyatçılar da katıldı: Osmanlı Kürt'ün diliyle uğraşmadı, bu Türkçü kafayla memleket büyüyemez |url=https://www.indyturk.com/node/425441/siyaset/anadilde-e%C4%9Fitim-talebi-mazur-g%C3%B6r%C3%BClemez-tart%C4%B1%C5%9Fmas%C4%B1na-ilahiyat%C3%A7%C4%B1lar-da-kat%C4%B1ld%C4%B1 |access-date=2024-04-03 |website=Independent Türkçe |language=tr}}</ref> Other Islamist Turks also claim that the term Kurdistan was always used to describe Kurdish lands, even by Turks themself, and was never separatist nor a taboo topic until Turkish nationalists turned it into one.<ref name=":0">{{Cite web |last=Dilbilen |first=Sezai |date=2015-05-21 |title=Başyücelik Devleti ve Kavmiyetçilik |url=https://akademyadergisi.com/basyucelik-devleti-ve-kavmiyetcilik/ |access-date=2024-04-13 |website=Akademya Dergisi |language=tr}}</ref>

Revision as of 13:22, 16 April 2024

Kurdish–Turkish relations covers the historical relations between Kurds and Turks.

Seljuk Empire

Relations began when Alp Arslan was seeking to pass through Kurdistan in order to conquer Anatolia. While preparing for the Battle of Manzikert in 1071, Alp Arslan earned the trust of powerful Kurdish principalities and tribes, and the Battle of Manzikert was as important to Kurds as it was to Turks.[1] The Seljuks annexed the many Kurdish principalities, and formed one large province called Kurdistan, during the rule of Ahmad Sanjar around 1150, which included Ecbatana (Hamadan), Sinjar, Shahrazur, Dinavar, and Kermanshah.[2]

Ayyubid Sultanate

The Ayyubid dynasty was founded by Shirkuh, a Kurdish retainer of the Zengid prince Nur al-Din. Shirkuh was succeeded by his nephew Saladin. Under Saladin, the Ayyubids defeated the Zengids.[3] They also took control of Damascus, Baalbek, and Homs. Gökböri commanded the right wing of the Zengid army, breaking the Ayyubid left wing before being defeated by Saladin's personal guards.[4][5] Gökböri switched to the Ayyubid army when it was clear the Zengids were going to be defeated.[6]

Ottoman Empire

The Safavids had control of Eastern Anatolia and had severely persecuted Kurds for being Sunni, which led to Selim I launching a campaign to annex Kurdish lands from the Safavids. Kurds were staunch allies of the Ottomans during the Battle of Chaldiran. The Kurdish forces also played a big role in taking Diyarbakır.[7] The Kurds were known as the "Black Nation" while Oghuz Turks were known as the "Grey Nation".[8] After the Ottomans won Eastern Anatolia, Selim I rewarded the Kurds with tax and military exemptions when needed, as well as semi-autonomous status, which was protected and recognized by the Ottomans. The autonomy lasted from 1514 until the mid-1800s.[9][10] During 1829–1830, Mahmud II launched reforms which were so nationalistic they inspired the ideology of the Turkish National Movement.[11] However, the vast majority of Kurds remained loyal to the Ottoman Empire until the 1900s when its Turkish nationalism increased under the Young Turks.[12] Kurds and Turks were united during and after World War I, solely under their shared religion, Islam.[13]

Republic of Turkey

When many Turks began embracing Turkish nationalism towards the Turkish War of Independence, many Kurds felt betrayed and thus became disenchanted from both Turks and their plans.[14] This paved the way for the Kurdish–Turkish conflict beginning in 1922.[15] Following the formation of the Republic in 1923, Kurds were not acknowledged as a people, and the existence of their language was denied as well.[16] The PKK was founded during a time period when Anti-Kurdism was very widespread, and any indication of Kurdish identity was punishable by law.[17]

Kurds refused to include Turkish nationalism in their Islamic teachings, causing many Turks who wanted to pursue an unaltered Islamic education to travel to Kurdistan to begin studies.[18] However, religious Turks later began mixing ultranationalism with Islam, which increased following the AKP-MHP coalition, giving impressionable Kurdish youth the idea that Islam accepts Turkish fascism.[19] Islamist Turks and Kurds, once allies, turned against each other during the rule of Recep Tayyip Erdoğan due to Turks mixing Islam with nationalism, however, much of the Islamist Turks oppose Erdoğan and still advocate for Kurds, such as Alparslan Kuytul.[20] Other Islamist Turks also claim that the term Kurdistan was always used to describe Kurdish lands, even by Turks themself, and was never separatist nor a taboo topic until Turkish nationalists turned it into one.[21]

References

  1. ^ Kürt-Türk İliskilerinde Merkezî İktidar İstisnai, Yerel Yönetimler İse Kuraldır, Ali Fırat
  2. ^ "Who Are the Kurds?". Institutkurde.org. Retrieved 2024-04-16.
  3. ^ Humphreys (1977), p. 51.
  4. ^ Behâ ed-Din & 12th c., pp. 73–74.
  5. ^ Lock (2013), p. 62.
  6. ^ Nicholson & al. (2006), p. 17.
  7. ^ Özoğlu, Hakan (2004-02-12). Kurdish Notables and the Ottoman State: Evolving Identities, Competing Loyalties, and Shifting Boundaries. SUNY Press. pp. 47–49. ISBN 978-0-7914-5993-5.
  8. ^ "Burada bizden önce kimler vardı?". Milliyet (in Turkish). 2009-11-18. Retrieved 2024-04-14.
  9. ^ A Modern History of the Kurds - McDowall, David p.28
  10. ^ Klein, Janet (2011-05-31). The Margins of Empire: Kurdish Militias in the Ottoman Tribal Zone. Stanford University Press. p. 55. ISBN 978-0-8047-7570-0.
  11. ^ Karpat, H. Kemal (1959). Turkey's Politics: The Transition to a Multi-Party System. Princeton University Press. ISBN 978-0-691-62623-9.
  12. ^ Denise Natali (2004) "Ottoman Kurds and emergent Kurdish nationalism", Critique: Critical Middle Eastern Studies,13:3, 383-387, DOI: 10.1080/1066992042000300701
  13. ^ Martin van Bruinessen, Religion in Kurdistan" http://www.hum.uu.nl/medewerkers/m.vanbruinessen/publications/Bruinessen_Religion_in_Kurdistan.pdf Archived 2013-11-09 at the Wayback Machine
  14. ^ Martin van Bruinessen, Religion in Kurdistan" http://www.hum.uu.nl/medewerkers/m.vanbruinessen/publications/Bruinessen_Religion_in_Kurdistan.pdf Archived 2013-11-09 at the Wayback Machine
  15. ^ "16. Turkey/Kurds (1922–present)". uca.edu. Retrieved 27 August 2018.
  16. ^ "Nurullah Alkaç | Osmanlı kaynaklarında kadim Kürtler". Independent Türkçe (in Turkish). 2019-08-13. Retrieved 2024-04-16.
  17. ^ Joseph, J. (2006). Turkey and the European Union internal dynamics and external challenges. Basingstoke [England]: Palgrave Macmillan. p. 100. ISBN 0230598587.
  18. ^ Van Bruinessen, M. (1991) "Religion in Kurdistan." Kurdish Times. New York, vol.4, nos 1-2. pp.5-27.
  19. ^ "Irkçı saldırıya karşı Strasbourg'da protesto: Türk faşizmini durdurun!". ANF News (in Turkish). Retrieved 2024-04-16.
  20. ^ ""Anadilde eğitim talebi mazur görülemez" tartışmasına ilahiyatçılar da katıldı: Osmanlı Kürt'ün diliyle uğraşmadı, bu Türkçü kafayla memleket büyüyemez". Independent Türkçe (in Turkish). 2021-10-18. Retrieved 2024-04-03.
  21. ^ Dilbilen, Sezai (2015-05-21). "Başyücelik Devleti ve Kavmiyetçilik". Akademya Dergisi (in Turkish). Retrieved 2024-04-13.
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